340 KANSAS CITY REVIEW OF SCIENCE. 



an atmosphere would in itself be a blessing, as fostering a love for research- 

 whereby talent was fostered. 



It was desirable to bring about a more accurate knowledge concerning the 

 elementary principles and propositions of the science of physics for general diffu- 

 sion arnong the masses of educated people; this diffusion was not now taking 

 place to any great extent. The subject, considered as a whole, naturally divided, 

 itself into two parts, pertaining respectively to higher, and elementary instruc- 

 tion. A few keen-sighted men, combining in themselves happily the student and 

 the teacher, recognized the fact that thorough instruction in physics demanded 

 the use of laboratory methods, such as had been utilized* for some years in chem- 

 istry, and were rapidly coming into prominence in every department of naturali 

 science. Among these was notable that of Professor Pickering, whose estabUsh- 

 ment for purposes of instruction at Boston must be regarded as an epoch in the 

 history of this progress. With that also might be linked, though coming at a 

 httle later date, the well known establishment of Professor Mayer at Hoboken. 

 A report on the teaching of Chemistry and Physics in the United States by Pro- 

 fessor Clarke, of Cincinnati University, was recommended to all interested in the 

 study of the present condition of this work. Professor Clarke classified the various 

 courses as follows: — ist. Full course, including higher mathematical physics, ad- 

 vanced laboratory work and research. 2d. Full course, with mathematical phys- 

 ics and elementary laboratory work. 3d. Course in general physics, involving, 

 a previous knowledge of trigonometry and including laboratory work. 



The other courses, ten in number, are elementary. 



Thq report contained statistics from nearly four hundred universities, col- 

 leges, agricultural colleges, and schools, scientific or otherwise ; out of the whole 

 number, there were thirty-three institutions where the' instruction in physics fell 

 within the limits established above. Of these, four were of the first rank, two of 

 the second, and twenty-seven of the third. 



A great teacher has told us that we studied nature in books, and when we 

 met her face she passed unrecognized. There sprang up a new method, the use- 

 of the text book fell into disrepute, it was as if all men were to cast aside their 

 maps, globes, histories, books of travel, etc., and start out to obtain a knowledge 

 of the world by visiting its different portions. The underlying principle of the 

 new method was correct, but it was a mistake to give it unrestricted application.. 



The course of study in physics for the undergraduate collegian should in- 

 clude a sufficient training in mathematics to enable him to apply his knowledge 

 with ease and facility to the more common physical problems ; a thorough and 

 exacting course of text book and lecture work, to be supplemented by a course 

 in the laboratory in which gi-eater attention should be paid to the quality rather 

 than quantity of the work done. There was great need of reform regarding in- 

 struction in physics in the school; although American text books were numerous, 

 none have properly combined in their making the experience of the class-room 

 with the critical knowledge of the scholar; text books, it was true, might be im 

 ported from Europe, and they in the main were vastly superior to our own, but 



